[Sidenote: Those invited begin to make excuses.] When þay knewen his cal þ{a}t þider com schulde, Alle ex-cused hem by þe skyly he scape by moȝt: [Sidenote: One had bought an estate and must go to see it.] On hade boȝt hym a borȝ he sayde by hys t{ra}wþe, Now t[ur]ne I þeder als tyd, þe tou{n} to by-holde; 64 [Sidenote: Another had purchased some oxen and wished to see them “pull in the plough.”] An oþ{er} nayed also & nurned þis cawse: I haf ȝerned & ȝat ȝokkeȝ of oxen, & for my hyȝeȝ hem boȝt, to bowe haf I mest{er}, To see hem pulle in þe plow aproche me byhoueȝ; 68 [A third had married a wife and could not come.] & I haf wedded a wyf, sower[3] hy{m} þe þryd, Excuse me at þe co{ur}t, I may not com þere; Þ{us} þay droȝ hem adreȝ w{i}t{h} dau{n}g{er} vchone, Þat non passed to þe place[4] þaȝ he prayed were. 72 [Sidenote: [Fol. 58a.]] [Sidenote: The Lord was greatly displeased, and commanded his servants to invite the wayfaring, both men and women, the better and the worse, that his palace might be full.] The{n}ne þe ludych lorde lyked ful ille & hade dedayn of þat dede, ful dryȝly he carpeȝ: He saytȝ “now for her owne sorȝe þay for-saken habbeȝ, More to wyte is her wrange, þen any wylle gentyl; 76 Þe{n}ne gotȝ forth my gomeȝ to þe grete streeteȝ, & forsetteȝ on vche a syde þe cete aboute; Þe wayferande frekeȝ, on fote & on hors, Boþe burneȝ & burdeȝ, þe bett{er} & þe wers, 80 Laþeȝ hem alle luflyly to lenge at my fest, & bry{n}geȝ hem blyþly to borȝe as barou{n}eȝ þay were, So þat my palays plat-ful be pyȝt al aboute, Þise oþ{er} wrecheȝ I-wysse worþy noȝt wern.” 84 [Sidenote: The servants brought in bachelors and squires.] Þe{n} þay cayred & com þat þe cost waked, Broȝten bachlereȝ hem wyth þat þay by bonkeȝ metten, Swyereȝ þat swyftly swyed on blonkeȝ, & also fele vpon fote, of fre & of bonde. 88 [Sidenote: When they came to the court they were well entertained.] When þay com to þe co{ur}te keppte wern þay fayre, Styȝtled w{i}t{h} þe stewarde, stad i{n} þe halle, Ful man{er}ly w{i}t{h} marchal mad forto sitte, As he watȝ dere of de-gre dressed his seete. 92 [Sidenote: The servants tell their lord that they have done his behest, and there is still room for more guests.] Þe{n}ne seggeȝ to þe souerayn sayden þer-aft{er}, “Lo! lorde w{i}t{h} yo{ur} leue at yo{ur} lege heste, & at þi ba{n}ne we haf broȝt, as þ{o}u beden habbeȝ, Mony renischche renkeȝ & ȝet is rou{m} more.” 96 [Headnote: THE HALT AND THE BLIND ARE INVITED.]